Key Points
- Palestinian armed men continued their attacks against the Israeli Defence Forces.
- Netanyahu says the remaining Hamas battalions lie in the south near Gaza’s border with Egypt.
- The news has raised the alarm for thousands of Palestinians who have fled to the area to avoid the confict.
After the weekly cabinet meeting in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that 17 out of 24 of Hamas’ battalions had been annihilated.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, almost four months into the war that started after Hamas’ invasion of Israel’s southern border on 7 October, Plestinian gunmen continued their attacks on the Israel troops.
In Gaza City and in Khan Younis in the south, the fighting between the two sides continued, in a display that the forces of Hamas still maintain a certain amount of control in the area.
Netanyahu has said that the majority of Hamas’ forces have now gathered in Gaza’s south, in areas such as the Rafah border with Egypt.
A statement from his office has reiterated Israel’s determination to vanquish the remainder of Hamas’ battalions.
The number of casualties could not be confirmed as the military group does not publish its own losses.
Push to the south a source of concern for Palestinian refugees
A potential push into the south of Gaza by the Israeli troops has alarmed thousands of Palestinians who have fled to the Rafah border in an attempt to escape the conflict.
It has also caused concern to Egypt, which says it will not be accepting any Palestinian refugees.
However, according to an Israeli official, the army would coordinate its efforts with Egypt for the relocation of the displaced towards the north before the start of the ground sweep in Rafah.
Israeli soldiers drive a tank on the border with the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel. Source: AP / Ariel Schalit
Palestinian reports claim Israel continued its air and ground strikes in the area, with two young girls losing their life after an attack on a house.
Mohammed Kaloub, one of the girls’ relatives, said the house in Rafah’s al-Salam neighbourhood was full of women and children when it was hit by an air strike.
“There is no safe place in Gaza, from the wire fence to the wire fence (borders from north to south), there is no safe place,” he said.
According to Palestinian health officials, eight people lost their lives in separate air strikes by Israel on Deir al-Balah areas in central Gaza.
Deir al-Balah is the second city of Gaza in which the Israeli forces have yet to deploy tanks.
Israeli forces continue their operations in Gaza City and Khan Younis
Following partial pull-outs from Gaza City during the last couple of weeks, allowing local residents to return and go through the rubble, the Israeli forces are now mounting incursions.
They have been described by the Israeli Prime Minister as “clean-up operations.”
Several buildings were destroyed by air strikes early on Sunday, including a housing project funded by Egypt.
The Israeli military claims to have killed seven gunmen belonging to Hamas in northern Gaza.
The Israeli army radio says soldiers are trying to break into two bunkers belonging to Hamas in the area, in a mission that could take up to two weeks.
“Gaza is being wiped out”, said a local resident.
Meanwhile, in Khan Younis, three Palestinians were killed overnight by Israeli shelling according to medics.
Israel says a soldier was killed in the fighting on Sunday, with local residents reporting clashes had become more violent in the southern and western parts of the city.
The Israeli military claims they killed several gunmen and seized a compound belonging to Hamas.
Netanyahu says his troops are in the process of going through the tunnels that run through Gaza and allow gunmen to launch their ambushes.
